"Green-hat boy, looks like you want to fight? Well, fine by me. I've been wanting to see what kind of power a so-called god actually has."
The gray-haired girl seemed surprised that Venti intended to attack her, but her expression quickly turned excited.
She… actually knows who I am?!
Did she see through it? Or…
Venti's expression tightened even further.
He never expected the girl to recognize Anemo Archon's identity.
She was even more troublesome than he thought.
"Because I won't let you take that power."
No matter what, Venti couldn't allow that "power" to fall into anyone else's hands.
If mishandled, it could cause the same catastrophe as Khaenri'ah five hundred years ago—
and the power Rita described was even more dangerous than the forbidden forces Khaenri'ah once relied on.
It could corrupt, mutate, and devour…
It was unmistakably a power from outside this world.
And far more terrifying.
So—
"All of you, get away from here right now. That girl is extremely dangerous."
Finishing those words, Venti activated his divine form and charged directly toward her.
Another overwhelmingly strong enemy…?
Why does Mondstadt keep encountering things like this…
Kaeya couldn't understand.
Disaster after disaster— it never ended.
"Lord Venti… let's go. Quickly, we have to get away."
Jean watched the god rush forward.
At this level, none of them could help.
Backing away was the only thing they could do.
So that's how strong she really is…
Diluc's eyes were complicated.
He hadn't expected her strength to actually match—
or even surpass— a god's.
"Since you're already here, don't leave so fast."
Snap—
Seeing the Knights preparing to retreat, Su Mo raised a hand and snapped her fingers.
With that single sharp sound, everyone's vision blurred for a heartbeat.
When they came back to themselves—
The world around them had completely changed.
Or more accurately—
they had been taken to a different place altogether.
A place so overwhelming it took their breath away.
Towering mountain ranges stretched endlessly into the mist.
No one could see their end.
And not far from them, a sky-piercing giant sword stood like an eternal monument.
Around it, several slightly smaller giant swords also rose straight into the sky, each connected by colossal chains thick as ancient trees.
The scene was overwhelming—
ancient, oppressive, sacred, and desolate.
Thousands of rusted weapons were stabbed into the earth like a graveyard of forgotten wars.
No one knew how they got here.
No one knew what this place was.
What… happened?
Spatial ability?
But what was with that snap?
Hovering in midair, Venti halted his charge, stunned by the sudden shift.
He didn't know how he arrived here.
That alone was enough to set every alarm bell ringing.
Jean and the others are here too—
Damn it…
Scanning the landscape, Venti spotted Jean and the Knights—
as well as the Fatui and Abyss Order.
Everyone had been dragged into this space.
A spatial ability…?
The Abyss Herald, still aching from being kicked earlier, had no idea how it got here.
But it recognized space manipulation instantly.
This is bad.
I need to leave—
I must report this to His Highness…
Knowing her power now, it didn't dare face her alone again.
But it also couldn't abandon the "power"… so it had to call reinforcements.
It summoned its star-filled portal—
Only to find—
It didn't work.
It stepped in.
Nothing happened.
Again.
And again.
Impossible…
My spatial ability is being suppressed?!
Could she be—
the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles?!
A wave of cold sweat ran down its back.
It had never seen the "Sustainer,"
but it knew her powers.
If that was the case, then—
It wasn't surprising.
A power capable of overturning the thrones of the gods…
No wonder the Heavenly Principles would appear.
If so…
So be it.
To die for the Abyss is an honor…
The Herald calmed down, accepting death.
Its people had been destroyed by the Heavenly Principles—
if this was truly her face,
then even dying here would be vengeance.
I shouldn't have come alone…
Should've dragged La Signora over…
Childe scanned the surroundings and felt deep regret.
Every time—
Every. Single. Time.
He faced monsters like these alone.
Liyue was like this.
Mondstadt was like this.
Was he unlucky?
Or just unbelievably unlucky?
"Eh? How did we get here?"
Paimon flew in circles, startled.
Could she be connected to that white-haired girl from before…?
Diluc narrowed his eyes.
It reminded him too much of the white-haired girl's ability.
His tavern counter was still stuck in that bizarre space…
"Diluc, Acting Grand Master, doesn't this feel like the ability that white-haired girl used? You think they're sisters or something?"
Kaeya mused.
"I'm not blind."
Diluc snapped back.
"Everyone, stay alert."
Jean held her weapon tightly.
Whatever this was—
it was far above their level.
"Hello, everyone~
So? Want to fight me?
Or play a game instead?"
Suddenly, the gray-haired girl appeared atop the central sky-piercing sword—
sitting casually, legs dangling.
In her hand—
a purple-patterned cube.
The "power" everyone was after.
"You only need to do one thing.
If you win against me—
you can take it."
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